Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, 36th Infantry
Division. Place and date: Near Salerno, Italy, 9 September 1943.
Entered service at: Luling, Tex. Birth: McNeil, Tex. G.O. No.:
54, 5 July 1944. Citation... For conspicuous gallantry and
intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in action
involving actual conflict on 9 September 1943 in the vicinity of
Salerno, Italy. As a rifleman of an infantry company, Sgt. Logan landed
with the first wave of the assault echelon on the beaches of the Gulf of
Salerno, and after his company had advanced 800 yards inland and taken
positions along the forward bank of an irrigation canal, the enemy began
a serious counterattack from positions along a rock wall which ran
parallel with the canal about 200 yards further inland. |
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Voluntarily exposing himself to the fire of a machinegun located
along the rock wall, which sprayed the ground so close to him
that he was splattered with dirt and rock splinters from the
impact of the bullets, Sgt. Logan killed the first 3 Germans as
they came through a gap in the wall. He then attacked the
machinegun. As he dashed across the 200 yards of exposed terrain
a withering stream of fire followed his advance. Reaching the
wall, he crawled along the base, within easy reach of the enemy
crouched along the opposite side, until he reached the gun.
Jumping up, he shot the 2 gunners down, hurdled the wall, and
seized the gun. Swinging it around, he immediately opened fire
on the enemy with the remaining ammunition, raking their flight
and inflicting further casualties on them as they fled. After
smashing the machinegun over the rocks, Sgt. Logan captured an
enemy officer and private who were attempting to sneak away.
Later in the morning, Sgt. Logan went after a sniper hidden in a
house about 150 yards from the company. Again the intrepid Sgt.
ran a gauntlet of fire to reach his objective. Shooting the lock
off the door, Sgt. Logan kicked it in and shot the sniper who
had just reached the bottom of the stairs. The conspicuous
gallantry and intrepidity which characterized Sgt. Logan's
exploits proved a constant inspiration to all the men of his
company, and aided materially in insuring the success of the
beachhead at Salerno. | |
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